As Girl Scouts, we often look to our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, for inspiration and guidance. Planned giving is no exception. Whenever the topic comes up, Girl Scouts are quick—and proud—to note that Low made the first planned gift to Girl Scouts by leaving her carriage house, which she had converted into the first national headquarters, to the Movement in her will.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a planned gift is essentially any gift made as part of the donor’s estate plan. When most people think of a planned gift, they think of something outlined in the donor’s will. However, planned gifts can be made in many forms and can be given when the donor has passed or is still alive. What makes them unique is that they enable the donor to make a more significant contribution than they can from their regular funds, creating a legacy of support for a cause they love.

In honor of our founder’s legacy, we welcome donors who make a planned gift to Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines into the Juliette Gordon Low Society. New inductees are celebrated and initiated at our annual meeting each March. We’d love to introduce you to the latest members.

Melanie Dubis is a commercial litigator with Parker Poe Law Firm, where she leads the Litigation Practice Group. She handles complex business disputes at the trial and appellate levels for corporations and individuals in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, energy, and technology industries. She has experience in North Carolina state and federal courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Federal Circuits, and arbitration proceedings.

Melanie has litigated many cases involving unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation by previous employees, and employee raiding. She has secured settlements and awards for clients with innovative technologies and proprietary information. Melanie also represents broker-dealers and financial advisors in defending claims of alleged sales practice violations, including those involving investment suitability, selling away, fraud, churning, and switching. She has served as national defense counsel in class actions involving insurance regulations pending in multiple federal jurisdictions.

Ruth Glaser “One of my first memories as a young girl was going to a Girl Scout event with my foster dad. I made a sit upon and decorated boxes for us to have boxed lunches. It was very special. When I became an adult and a professional (before having our daughter), I volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop leader for many years. My co-leader was another young professional without children at the time. It was fun mentoring these girls and seeing them grow and mature and become young ladies themselves. I still am in contact with a few of them, and they remind me often what a difference Girl Scouts (and me as their Troop Leader) had on them. I believe in giving back–I always have—whether that is with time, talent, or resources. I cannot think of a better organization to make a difference with; Girl Scouts changed my life. I saw it change those in my troop, and I watched my daughter grow and develop as well. She earned her Bronze, Silver, and, recently, Gold Award. What a difference Scouting has made in her life – and achieving the Highest Award will have a lifelong impact. I want every Girl to have an opportunity to be in Girl Scouts – especially those without caring parents of their own – those like me who were in foster care. It is a sisterhood that everyone should experience.” 

We are grateful to our new inductees and all Juliette Gordon Low Society members who are shaping tomorrow’s leaders and safeguarding the traditions that brought them joy and inspiration through their planned gift commitments. You can visit our website to learn more about the Juliette Gordon Low Society and see the complete list of members.